Fireproof partition.



H. K. PAXSON & E. J. HEDDEN. rmEPRooF PARTITION.

APPLCATFON FILED lULY9,-l9l4. l 11% lm Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

'WIT

HAROLD K. PAXSON, 0F CYNWYD, AND ELMENDORF J. HEDIDEN, OF BALA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIREPROOF PARTITION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.,

Application led July 9, 1914. Serial No. 849,913.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that we, HAROLD K. PAxsoN and ELMENDORF J. HEDDEN, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Cynwyd and Bala, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fireproof Partitions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to they accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

The object of our invention is to provide a partition, adapted for use in fire-proof or slow burning construction, which will be staunch, durable and comparatively inexpensive.

In constructing partitions it is known to employ composition or plastic boards; but the usual construction in which such boards are employed lacks the rigidity and durability which it is desirable that the partitions should have.

The object of our invention, more specifically stated, is to externally support and reinforce these boards in a comparatively inexpensive manner and at the same time in such a way as to impart to the partition the desired strength and durability.

In the drawings, which show preferred embodiments of our invention: Figure 1 is an elevation showing the external framework of the partition and the wires for externally supporting and reinforcing the partition. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the partition, with the supporting and reinforcing wires omitted, showing the arrangement of boards. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of a part of the partition with the spaces between adjacent boards exaggerated for purposes of clearness. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the relative thickness of the boards being exaggerated for purposes of clearness. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing the ieans for fastening the wires to the sills and to the boards. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view o f means for fastening the ends of the wires in concrete or stone construction.

The boards forming the partition, which are approximately square (say 36 high, 32 wide and one inch thick), are :arranged in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3,; that is, the boards are `arranged in horizontal rows, with adjacent rows arranged in staggered relation Iso that the vertical joint between two boards of a row alines with the vertical center line of the board above and below. Before the boards are erected, vertical supporting and reinforcing wires are stretched between the upper and lower horizontal stringers as shown in Fig. l, these wires being spaced apart a distance equal to one-half the width of a board and in such position that each wire will aline with the joint between two adjacent boards of one horizontal row and extend along the vertical center line of a board in the next adjacent horizontal row.

In the drawings, a, b, c, represent the boards of the three horizontal rows respectively; d, d, the vertical stringers constitut'- ing the ends of the partition; e, e, the horizontal stringers or sills constituting the top and bottom of the partition; and f, f', the vertical external reinforcing wires. The wires may be secured to the stringers e, c, by means of staples g.

The wires are connected to the boards, so as to externally support and reinforce the same, in the following manner. Taking one of the wires f, which extends in front, and along the vertical center line, of two boards a and c and alines with the joint between two of the boards ZJ, and starting at the top: the wire extends over washers it, applied to one side (which I shall call the face) of the board a near its upper edge, at about its center and near its lower edge. These washers may be of any suitable construction. I have found it convenient to employ washers formed of thin flat sheet metal having V- shaped end recesses. Other washers are applied to the other side (which I shall call the back) of the board and immediately opposite the washers applied to the face of the board. In other words, the washers are arranged in pairs, one washer of each pair applied to the front and the other applied diametrically opposite thereto to the back.

A fastening wire extends through holes f: in the. board and over the front washer 7L and wire f and over the rear washer h, there* by securely retaining the wire y against the face of the board a. r-Ihe wire f thence ex tends between the adjacent edges of two boards b, b, beingbrought to the back of the partition at a point midway between the top and bottom of the joint and there extending over a washer 7L applied to the back of the boards ZJ, `b, so as `to span the joint. A washer 'It is ,applied t0 the face of the board immediately opposite the last named washer,

and a fastening wire z' is applied as above described; Y rlfwo otherpairs of washers are similarly applied to the front and back of the partition near the upper ends of this joint, the wire extending over the washers on the face of the partition. The wire f thence extends in front, and along ythe verticalcenterline, of Oneofthe boards c of the lower row and is 'secured thereto in thesame manner as it is secured to the board a.

Taking one of the wires f', the same exy tends infront of a board l) and through the joints between two adjacent boards a, a, and? two adjacent boards 0,0, being secured to the back of the partition midway between the upper and lower ends of each joint.

A.It will vbe understood that in initially stringing the wires f they are made as taut as possible, but it is not possible to draw the 5 wire so taut that it cannot be pulled sidewise j to' the limited extent required to cause the wire to extend from front to back of the partition. 'lhe Zig-zag course through which each wire extends after th'e partition is erected involves a' stretching of the wire to practically` its limit so that'it cannot, sidewise wholeis therefore very staunch kand stable pressure, be further distorted. Consequently the wire structure supporting the boards is substantially rigid, and the'partition as a even before the coats of plasterare applied thereto; W'

" 'lheboards are so constructed, preferably of a material such as gypsum, reinforced internallyfthat the final coats of yplaster can plicable Vto concreteV or stone construction.

VInstead of fastening each individual vertical wire f to the sillsV by meansk of expansion bolts, a vStringer or header, shown asa channel m, is secured by expansion bolts a to the concrete and the'ends of the'wires are passed throughY holesY in the angle-bar andV then looped around Vand rmlysecured.' It will be understood, however, that the invention is not liniitedv to any particular means of securing the vendsofthe vertical wires. Y

Having now .fullyV described our invention,

whatwe claim and desire to protect by .Let-

' ters Patent is'- partition comprising boards arranged Y inrows which the Yboards of one row 6,5.Y break joint the boards of an adjacent row, external supporting and reinforcing wires spanning the rows and each extending over one side of a board of one row and alining with the joint between two boards of an adjacent row, said wire extending through said joint from one side to the other of the partition, and means to fasten each wire to hold it in the position specified.

2. A partition comprising boards arranged in rows in 'which the boards of one row break joint with the boards of an adjacent row, external supporting and reinforcing wires spanning the rows and each'extending over one side of a board of one row,'thence through the joint between twobards of the next row from one side to the other' of the partition, thence back through the same joint to the first named side of the partition, and thence over the side of a board inthe next row, and means to fasten the( wiresin the relation specified.

3. A partition comprising boards arranged in rows, there being a number of boards in each row, external supporting and reinforcing wires each of which 'extends lalong the partition and alinesf'with a joint between boards and extends through said joint from one side of the partition to the other and crosses a joint between boards'extendi'ng'at right angles tothe first joint, and securing devices''spanningl each wir'e and arranged on opposite sides of the seconda joint 4. A partition comprising boards and external supporting and reinforcing wires each of which extends along the partition and from one side thereof to the other and through joints between the boards, a series of washers each'of which spans' a joint 'and lies under a wire and engages the'two boards on opposite sides of the joint, and securing wires extending through the boards and over the washers.

5.' A partition comprising boards and external supporting and `reinforcing wires each of which overlies one side of a board and thence extends between the joints of two adjacent boards froln one side of the partition to the other, washers lying between the board and the wireswhere the latter' overlie the sides of the boards and 'other washers spanning said joints and lying under the wires.

6. A partition comprising boards arranged in rows in which the boards of one row break joint with the boards of anotherrow, external supporting and reinforcing wires spanning the rows and each extending over one side ofv a board of one row and alining Ywith the joint between two boards of an adjacent row, and extending through saidjoint from one side of the partition to another,

and a series of washers each of which spans aj oint and lies under a wire and engages the two boards on opposite sides of ay joint.

7. A partition comprising boards arranged in rows in which the boards of one row break joint with the boards of an adjacent boards and extending between the margins row, external supporting and reinforcing of adjacent boards and the wires alining wires spanning the rows and each extending with the joints.

over one side of a board of one row, thence In testimony of which invention, we have through the joint between two boards of the hereunto set our hands, at Philadelphia, on next row from one side to the other of the this 7th day of July, 1914:.

partition, thence back through the same HAROLD K PAXSON.

joint to the first named side of the partition and thence over the side of a board in the ELMENDORF J' HEBBEN' next row, washers between thesides of the Witnesses: boards and the wires extending thereover, M. M. HAMILTON, and washers spanning the joints of the E. E. WALL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner' of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

